Find Obituary Records in Texas County

Texas County obituary records are filed through the Recorder of Deeds in Houston, the county health department, and the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City. The county seat is Houston, and local offices have kept records since 1845. Texas County is one of the largest counties in Missouri by land area, which means records may be spread across several small towns and communities. This page covers the main offices, search tools, fees, and databases you can use to find obituary records and death certificates in Texas County.

Texas County Recorder of Deeds

The Texas County Recorder of Deeds is at 519 N. Grand St., Houston, MO 65483. Call them at 417-967-3182. This office keeps marriage records and land files from 1845 to the present. The Recorder does not issue death certificates, but you can find marriage records, deed books, and military discharge records here. These types of documents often come up in obituary research when you need to confirm a person's identity, place of residence, or family connections in Texas County.

Visit during regular business hours. Bring the full name of the person and a rough date range. Staff can help you search the indexes. Copies run about a dollar per page for most documents.

Texas County Obituary Sources

The Texas County Historical Society at P.O. Box 84, Houston, MO 65483 maintains local collections that cover genealogy, old newspaper clippings, and cemetery records. If you are looking for an obituary from a Texas County newspaper, the historical society is one of the best places to check. They may have clipped death notices and family files that are not available anywhere else. Some of these records date back to the late 1800s.

The Houston Public Library also holds local history and genealogy resources. Their collection includes newspaper archives on microfilm and a small genealogy section. The library is a good second stop after the historical society when you are doing obituary research in Texas County.

The State Historical Society of Missouri holds Texas County newspaper runs in their archive. Small town papers from the Houston area carried death notices for families across the county. These collections are available for in-person research at the society's facilities.

Texas County Records at State Archives

The Missouri Digital Heritage site has pre-1910 birth and death records for Texas County available for free online. You can search by name or county. These records come from the early vital records registration that started in Missouri in 1883. Coverage is not complete for every death, but the database is still worth a look for any Texas County obituary research from that era.

The Missouri State Archives death certificate database covers Texas County deaths from 1910 through about 1974. Each record has a link to a scanned copy of the original certificate. Under RSMo 193.225, death certificates more than 50 years old get transferred to the Archives. Copies from the Archives cost $1 each, which makes this one of the cheapest ways to get a certified record for older Texas County deaths.

The Missouri State Archives website at sos.mo.gov/archives also has other county-level records for Texas County, including probate files that sometimes mention cause of death or surviving family.

The State Historical Society of Missouri holds newspaper archives covering Texas County publications from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Death Certificates for Texas County

The Texas County Health Department issues birth and death certificates for recent records. Death certificates cost $14 for the first copy. Extra copies are $11 each. Birth certificates run $15. You can order in person or by mail. For online orders, VitalChek is available but adds a processing fee.

Under RSMo 193.255, you must have direct and tangible interest in the record to get a certified copy. Close family members, legal guardians, and authorized agents qualify. For Texas County obituary research on older records, death certificates more than 50 years old are open to anyone through the State Archives.

For deaths before 1980, you need to contact the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City. They hold statewide death records from 1910 forward.

Public Access and Texas County Obituary Law

The Missouri Sunshine Law under RSMo Chapter 610 keeps most public records open for review. Vital records have some restrictions, though. Under RSMo 193.245, it is against the law to share vital record information outside what the statute allows. But death records over 50 years old can be given to anyone. A listing of people who died on a given date can also be shared, limited to name and date of death.

For Texas County obituary research, recent death certificates are restricted. Historical records are much more open. The State Archives, pre-1910 vital records, and newspaper obituary files are all available to the public. Genealogists acting for a family member or professionally recognized genealogists can also get copies of more recent death certificates.

Search the Missouri Death Index

The Missouri Death Index covers deaths from 1954 to 2024. It has over 3.8 million records statewide. Texas County deaths are in this index. You can search by last name, first name, year of death, or county. The search is free. Results give you enough detail to order a copy from the right office.

The Missouri State Library genealogy guide connects to more databases for death records, cemetery lookups on Find a Grave, and the Military Gravesite Locator. These free tools cover Texas County and every other county in Missouri.

Note: The Death Index does not include scanned copies of certificates, but it tells you where and when a death was recorded.

Cities in Texas County

Houston is the county seat of Texas County. Other communities include Licking, Cabool, and Summersville. All obituary records and vital records for Texas County residents are filed through county offices in Houston. No cities in Texas County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

If you are not sure which county holds the records you need, check the county where the person lived or died. Texas County borders several other Missouri counties with their own obituary collections.